Fluent materials, including liquids, creams, powders, etc., may be conventionally packaged in a container having a dispensing closure which includes a body portion which is located on the top of the container and which defines one or more dispensing apertures or openings. A cap or lid may be provided for being releasably secured to the body portion for occluding the dispensing opening when the container is not in use. This prevents spillage if the container is dropped or tipped over. The lid may also help keep the contents fresh and may reduce the ingress of contaminants.
A variety of dispensing closure designs have been developed for various products which are in liquid or powder form (e.g., shampoo, lotion, cosmetic powder, etc.). One type of closure includes a flexible, self-closing, slit-type dispensing valve mounted over the container opening. The valve has a slit or slits which define a normally closed orifice that opens to permit flow therethrough in response to increased pressure within the container when the container is squeezed. One widely used form of the valve automatically closes to shut off flow therethrough upon removal of the increased pressure. Designs of closures using such valves are illustrated in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,531, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,566, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,512. Typically, the closure includes a base mounted on the container neck to define a seat for receiving the valve and includes a retaining ring or housing structure for holding the valve on the seat in the base. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,986 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,016. U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,626 discloses a closure having a valve from which a powder is discharged through a perforated dispensing baffle to produce a desirable dispersed distribution pattern of fine powder (e.g., cosmetic powder). A closure can also be provided with a lid for covering a valve during shipping or when the container is packed for travel (or when the container is otherwise not in use). See, for example, FIGS. 31-34 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,531. The lid can keep the valve clean and/or protect the valve from damage.
In some packages, it is also desirable to interpose a membrane (e.g., a seal or liner) across the container opening and to provide a closure that (1) is installed on the container over the membrane, and (2) has an element that can be rotated to open the membrane by piercing or cutting the membrane. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,853,665, 4,884,705, and 5,482,176.
The inventor of the present invention has discovered that it would be advantageous to provide an improved closure for dispensing a fluent product, including liquid. In particular, the inventor has discovered that his innovative design provides advantages not heretofore contemplated in the packaging industry or suggested by the prior art.